About us

Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre was set up as a confidential helpline in 1982 by a small group of local women. It was a response to a growing awareness of sexual violence against women and girls, and the need to provide a safe space. This gave many women their first chance to talk openly about their experiences of rape, sexual assault, childhood sexual abuse and other forms of violence. It also meant they could support each other in their recovery and healing. Today, over 30 years later, we have expanded to become a specialist sexual violence organisation delivering a range of support services each year to hundreds of women and children in Cambridgeshire who are survivors of rape, sexual abuse and sexual violence:

Our helpline now opens three times a week and is run by a team of nearly 30 volunteers

In 2011, we opened our counselling service, which has allowed us to help hundreds of women on their healing journey.

We fundamentally believe women and girls. The principles of being confidential, non-directional (letting you make your own choices) and non-judgemental underpin all our services. We believe that survivors are experts in their own healing, which is why receiving your feedback on our services is so important to us. To download our feedback form, please click here. Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre adheres to the Rape Crisis National Service Standards and is a professionally approved Rape Crisis Centre.

Our goals:

Provide specialist support to women and girls who have experienced or are experiencing rape, childhood sexual abuse or any form of sexual violence.

Securing high quality sexual violence services for women and girls who have experienced sexual violence.

Raising awareness of sexual violence, its prevalence and effects.

Build our collective expertise to improve services and policies for the benefit of survivors.

Press for change and promote the importance and need for appropriate, high-quality and specialised support for survivors.

We can also provide training for either individuals and organisations, on a wide range of issues surrounding sexual violence. To find out more about upcoming training days or to ask for bespoke training, contact us.

Testimonials

The support I have received has really helped me and I am very grateful [...] it has been a massive help and I will be holding onto the positive outlook it has helped me to get hold of as much as I can.

Valued that the therapy was 20 sessions so provided time to build a relationship and receive proper support. Valued how people talked to me e.g. tone. Valued knowledge given. Valued that the therapist specialised in this area and was female. Felt very different to a therapist that might have been allocated on the NHS. Valued always being able to contact and the quick reply.

The encouragement and support and having a safe space to openly talk and not be judged for it

[Because of the counselling] I understand myself and my emotions better.

CRCC have taught me how to trust when I didn't know how. Have shown me self belief when all I could see was self hatred. Have helped me feel anger when all I could feel was emptyness. Have given me hope in a sea of despair. Have helped me grow from a lost, confused, helpless, victim with the feeling that suicide may be my only available escape, into the beginnings strong, self aware, survivor looking forward to a much brighter future. That has changed my world.

I was very happy with the support I received. It was just the right amount of understanding without feeling patronised.

[It helped] being able to share my life story and understand how it's changed me in a nice environment, and having someone who listened and helped me understand.

Non-judgemental, honest caring people who have been with us every step of the way.

[The counsellor] was never judgemental and always kind.

[Counselling gave me] a space in which I feel comfortable in talking about my emotions and memories.

I have had such amazing support; I can't thank you enough.

Counselling has had a massive influence on me and get through one of the most difficult times of my life so far. [My counsellor] has been amazing and taught me how to trust again, deal with my feelings in a more positive and productive way & I am so incredibly grateful for being given this time and support.

It was nice for me to have someone to talk to who could not just listen but give advice as well. I also was really happy that I learnt more about myself through these sessions.

It was good to be surrounded by women who could relate to how I felt.

My ISVA did so much for me and I couldn't have asked for more.

They were there when & if I needed help.

The lady I spoke with [when I self-referred to the ISVA service] was warm, welcoming, helpful and replied to my on-line message the same day if not the next day. My ISVA contacted me just 5 days after my initial call.

Thank you so much - I don’t know what I would have done without this support.

[Counselling] has helped me feel a lot more confident in speaking about my problems. I feel more in control of my decisions and understand I can make them.

[Counselling] gave me the language to talk about my assault and the motivation to do so.

[My ISVA] didn’t judge and was always there for me when she said she would be.

Talking with my therapist […] was really helpful for many aspects of my life.

Amazing support.

Absolutely can't fault [my ISVA]. She's been completely brilliant. If there was a stronger agree option, that is where I'd've ticked.

It was great being able to talk to someone about things in my life.

Counselling has helped me understand and come to terms with my situation.